Charlotte-based Hendrick Automotive Group, which first entered Virginia with Hendrick Honda Woodbridge in 1992, now operates 93 dealerships throughout the United States, including four locations and six franchises in the state. Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Buick GMC is the first Hendrick Automotive Group dealership located in the Richmond area.

“I have a lot of friends and family in this area, and it holds a special place in my heart,” said Rick Hendrick, chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group and owner of NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports, who grew up 90 miles south of Richmond in the farming community of Palmer Springs, Virginia. “Many of those southern Virginia values -- like trust, respect, integrity and accountability -- have provided the foundation our people rely on to serve our customers. I won my first racing championships in drag boats with Richmond legends and great friends Stewart Matthews (engine builder) and Jimmy Wright (driver), and the track here has been good to us over the years. It means so much to be able to join this community with such an incredible dealership location.”

“We’re thrilled about becoming a part of the Richmond community,” said Mike Desmond, Hendrick Automotive Group market area vice president. “Short Pump is a very popular travel and commerce destination. When you combine that with the full General Motors lineup of innovative new vehicles like the high-performance Chevrolet SS sports sedan, this location provides a terrific opportunity for our company.”

Jason House, most recently the retail operations manager at Hendrick Chevrolet in Cary, North Carolina, has been named the dealership’s general manager and will report to Desmond.

“We will continue to offer the world class service the people of Richmond are accustomed to,” House said. “The dealership has earned a reputation for having a wonderful team and developing long-standing relationships with their customers. Our goal is to build on that by providing a welcoming environment, focusing on our employees, those we serve and being active in the community.”

Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Buick GMC Richmond features 300 new and 100 pre-owned vehicles on-site with access to more than 7,500 pre-owned vehicles at HendrickCars.com. The 66,000-square-foot dealership sits on a 9.1-acre property, which features 29 service bays and offers numerous customer amenities including free Wi-Fi, refreshments and courtesy-shuttle service to area attractions, including Short Pump Town Center.